The Ohio Lottery is giving 5 lucky people $1 million each in one lump sum — but there’s a catch.
In order to increase the state’s lagging vaccination rate, Ohio is giving 5 people $1 million each in return for getting vaccinated as part of a weekly lottery program.
While some states offer sports tickets and other perks to get the vaccine, Ohio is the first state to offer $1 million as part of a vaccination program.
The legality of the vaccination campaign is raising questions, since the state plans to use federal coronavirus relief funds to pay the Ohio Lottery to conduct the weekly drawings.
The first of five weekly drawings will be held on May 26, according to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican.
“I know that some may say, ‘DeWine, you’re crazy!'” he tweeted on Wednesday. “‘This million-dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money.’ But truly, the real waste at this point in the pandemic — when the vaccine is readily available to anyone who wants it — is a life lost to COVID-19.”
The reaction on social media was mixed. Some people say $1 million is better than the perks offered by other states to take the experimental mRNA vaccines.
Representative Jim Jordan, Republican of Ohio, criticized the $1 million giveaway on Wednesday.
“We’ve gone from 15 days to slow the spread to $1 million if you get the #COVID19 vaccine. Give me a break,” Jordan tweeted.
